On International Human Rights Day, organized labor held demonstrations and marches asserting that American corporations regularly violate the right to organize. In starting this new campaign, the labor movement hopes to draw attention to the problem and persuade Congress to enact or strengthen existing laws by increasing penalties for companies who commit unfair labor practices. Critics claim that union membership has dropped because unions are not in touch with the needs of workers and that workers don't believe in the need for unions.
See "Labor Rallies in Support of Bill to Back the Right to Join Unions", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, December 10, 2003